Progression
by Kay-san
Summary: Misao wants to learn to sense ki. Denied by the Oniwabanshuu, Misao finds a teacher in Hiko. Will the two wind up killing each other or can something else come from the unlikely pair? Alternate pairing. HikoMisao
1. New Student

Why oh why do I keep starting new stories? I promise one of these days I will finish my other stories. What an accomplishment that would be! Anyway, this is one of those 'I'll haunt your dreams until you write me' stories. So, far be it from me to tempt the demons! I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. If I did, we'd meet the mysterious Tokio, Saitou would have some sort of love interest in Misao and there'd be more LOOOOVVVVE!

Warning: This is an alternate pairing (Hiko/Misao). If you don't like them, don't read it. I also realize there's a huge age gap, but I'm of the 'love knows no bounds' crowd. I'm not responsible for insanity caused by my fics. Read at your own risk.

…………………………….

Progression

Chapter 1: New Student

………………………………

Misao sulked on the floor of the training hall - bemoaning the unfairness of it all. Braid pooling limply behind her, lips turned down into a pout, chin propped in a hand and eyebrows furrowed she was the very picture of sullen. She sighed exaggeratedly, as though that would solve her problems. With a fluid movement, she stood and headed for the door, feet scraping the floor as she dragged them. When she reached the stairs to head for her room, Okina stopped her.

"My dear Misao-chan! What has you looking so dejected, my pretty?"

Misao turned a pitiful pout to him. "Aoshi-sama won't train me."

Okina frowned at her. "Misao-chan. You really need to stop all this ninja nonsense. It's the new era! A time of peace and tranquility! Why not take lessons in proper etiquette from Akane-san? You'll need to know how to do all those womanly things if you intend to marry!" He ended with a bright smile, hoping it would cheer his surrogate granddaughter.

It was now Misao's turn to frown. "Jiya, those things won't make me happy and you know it! How long have you all tried to push me into those lessons? It's been years and not once have I even considered it to be something that would make me happy. This is the life I want to live. Why can't you let me live it?"

Okina sighed. Misao was just too stubborn for her own good sometimes. He loved her dearly, which is why he was trying to dissuade her from the life they had all chosen. Misao saw the expression on her grandfather's face and sighed.

"Look, Jiya. All I want is to be trained on sensing ki. I'm fine with weapons and I can hold my own against street thugs, which is really all I need. But I'm sick of people sneaking up on me. If I could just sense ki I would be happy." She hoped he would relent, hoped he would teach her the art, but he crushed her dream instead.

"No, my dear." He tried to soften the blow with a joke. If he could provoke her into a playful fight she may forget her request. "If you could sense ki, how would we play our pranks on you?" He gave her a grin, laughter making his dark old eyes twinkle.

Misao gave a small smile. "I know you're trying to make me feel better, Jiya. And while I appreciate that, I'm still not happy about having my training cut off."

She trudged the rest of the way to her room, plopping onto her futon ungracefully with a sigh. _Aoshi-sama no baka! He started my training when I was four. He's the one who introduced the ninja arts to me and then he just stops them! It's not fair. He should finish what he started. He's the one who lit the fire within me to be a ninja._

And it was all true. There were plenty of normal women in the Aoiya back then who would have taught Misao the duties expected of women. Misao would have willingly learned those lessons once she got older, if she had known all along that was expected of her. But, Aoshi had allowed her to tag along, to watch him and the others train, and had gone so far as to show her some moves. That had been the end of it. Misao-chan would not be an ordinary girl, she would be a ninja!

Misao gently slapped her cheeks. "Well, sitting here will do me no good. Time to go outside for a walk." She headed out, hoping the fresh air would improve her mood.

………………………………...

She strolled through the markets, the sound of bargaining and children playing brightening her outlook. As she wandered, she considered seeking outside help for her dilemma. Kenshin could read ki, but she doubted he would teach her. He'd smile that clueless smile and make up some lame excuse. Saitou could teach her, but he'd be more likely to tease her to death. The thought of spending time with him made her shudder in disgust and want to rip her own heart from her chest for even thinking it. She couldn't think of anyone else who could teach her. She was so deep in her pondering that she didn't notice the massive man heading her direction.

Hiko Seijiro, Thirteenth Master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, smirked as he noticed the little ninja from the Aoiya. If he remembered correctly, and he knew he did, she was quite the little spitfire. His little excursion into town for supplies had just become more interesting. Maybe he could bring up the whole 'I saved you from Fuji' deal and get some free sake and a free meal. As he got closer he realized she was lost in thought and didn't notice him standing there. Smirk widening, he waited right in the middle of her path.

Misao was mumbling to herself, listing all the people she knew, hoping one of them would be willing to teach her how to read ki. She suddenly ran into something very hard and was knocked back a pace. "Oh great. How embarrassing. Running into a wall in the middle of the marketplace." She continued her mumbling as she looked up to glare at the offending wall, only to realize it was no wall she had run into.

Hiko held in his amused chuckle, opting to merely raise a perfect eyebrow. "Are you going to apologize for running into me?"

Misao scowled at him. "You could have paid attention too, Hiko-san." And then it hit her. _Hiko can sense ki! He taught Himura how. But will he teach me? And if he does, I know it'll cost me something. Only one way to find out! _Misao decided to butter him up first, hopefully increasing her chances of getting what she wanted.

She pretended to sigh, as if releasing stress. "I'm sorry, Hiko-san. I've just had a hard day. I didn't mean to snap at you." She looked up, hoping he was buying it.

Hiko arched the brow again. This wasn't exactly how he remembered her. Granted, he hadn't been around her that much, but he was pretty certain this wasn't normal behavior. What in the world was she up to?

Misao continued. "Would you like to come to the Aoiya for some lunch? I'm sure Okon and Omasu would be more than happy to serve you."

Hiko grinned. Oh this was perfect! He didn't even have to ask! "Sure. But, I think there's something you aren't saying. This isn't how I remember you from a few years ago."

Misao giggled lightly. "It was four years ago, Hiko-san! I'm twenty now, not sixteen. Of course I'm different."

Hiko frowned. Maybe being on the mountain too long had dulled his skills at reading people. He pushed the thought away. Nah, there was no way he could lose his sharp senses. He was Hiko Seijiro, Master of the Sword and Stud Extraordinaire! Hiko Seijiro did NOT lose his touch. He decided to let the matter rest. Whatever it was bothering the tiny girl, he figured she'd tell him soon enough.

………………………………...

As they entered the Aoiya, Misao called out to Okon and Omasu. The two squealed happily when they saw the enormous man she had in tow. "Would you two serve Hiko-san some lunch? I…" She trailed off, the two not even listening as they latched onto an arm each, escorting him to a table. Misao sighed and went into the kitchen to think about how to breach the subject with him.

………………………………...

This was the part of life Hiko loved. Free food, free sake, and women willing to do his bidding because he was such a lady killer. He was mid-way through his meal, sending a smirk to Omasu and Okon every now and then just to watch them swoon. He started to wonder where Misao had gone off to. She wanted to say something to him, he was sure of it. As if on cue, the kitchen door opened and Misao walked out, heading straight for his table.

He looked up expectantly, waiting for her to speak first. He noticed her looking at her feet as she shuffled one of them back and forth, hands clasped behind her back. A smirk formed on his lips. Another one with a crush. Yes, yes, the reason for her nervousness could only be that. He would have to let her down gently. She was just too young for his tastes. As he opened his mouth to speak, Misao's head shot up, determination in her eyes.

"Hiko-san, would you teach me to sense ki?"

The swordsman abruptly closed his mouth, shocked. The reason for the shock was not her question, no not at all. He had been…wrong! It was unthinkable. He shook his head slightly, which Misao took as rejection.

"Look here, Hiko-san! All I want is for you to teach me to sense ki! I don't care about Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, I'm fine with my own weapons. I just want to learn to sense ki. No one here will teach me!"

Hiko sighed. Did he really want to take on another student? The girl had courage and determination. He was sure she'd be a quick learner and a fine student, but that attitude of hers could be the death of him. She would annoy him, he was certain of it. Then again, she could prove entertaining. He mulled the thought over silently, looking her over. At her pleading expression, he felt sorry for her. _Introduced to the life of a ninja, but they won't complete her training. _He sighed as he knew he'd been suckered in. He was a bit of a softie underneath the arrogant exterior, not that he'd let _anyone_ know it. But, before letting Misao know that, he had to pull her along a little. "What's in it for me?"

Misao held in the grin. He was close to agreeing! She bit her lip. _What IS in it for him? _She considered various possibilities. "A year's supply of sake?"

Hiko's lips twitched. The girl sure knew how to make him happy. However…"I'm giving you something you can use your whole life and all I get is one year of sake?"

Misao frowned. "Two years?"

Hiko pretended to think it over, knowing he'd agree. "I suppose."

Misao's face lit up, excited that she'd found a teacher. But, Hiko wasn't done just yet. "There are rules, Itachi."

Misao's face turned into a scowl. She wasn't aware he knew of the accursed nickname. Dang it all! She silently cursed Saitou for coming up with it in the first place.

Hiko continued. "You must live on the mountain. It's too far to travel up there daily and our training will sometimes be dawn to well into the night. You will do the cooking and cleaning."

Misao interjected. "Hey! You're already getting free sake!"

Hiko put up a silencing hand. "Not only am I teaching you, but I am also giving you shelter and providing for you." Misao grumbled and he continued, undaunted. "You will do what I ask, when I ask. If you talk back to me, the lessons stop. You will refer to me as 'Shishou.'" Hiko smirked. His last rule would surely get a rise out of the young shinobi. "And you will learn to be a proper lady."

Just as predicted. "WHAT? Surely, you aren't serious! What does sensing ki have to do with being a lady?"

"Baka deshi, my lessons don't just include the skills of swordsmanship. I expect my students to better themselves in many ways. If you want to learn from me, you will also learn how to be a proper woman. Understand?"

Misao sighed in defeat. "Yes, Hiko-san."

"What was that?"

Misao blinked at the growl. Oh, she had forgotten. "I mean, yes, Shishou."

……………………………….

Hiko stuck around that night, watching as Misao tried to convince her family to let her go. After much pleading and puppy dog eyes and begging, Misao had finally convinced her Jiya to let her go. Omasu and Okon were slightly jealous.

"Misao-chan, you are so lucky! You get to be around Hiko-sama all the time!" Okon gushed and Omasu nodded in agreement.

Misao rolled her eyes. "You're kidding, right? He's going to drive me nuts. I just know it. But he's the only one who would agree to teach me."

After Okina extracted promises from Hiko that Misao would be safe with him, everyone retired to bed.

………………………………

Misao and Hiko stood at the Aoiya gate, saying their goodbyes to everyone. Okina pulled Hiko aside. "You do know what I mean when I ask if Misao will be alright with you."

Hiko arched an elegant eyebrow. "The girl is young enough to be my daughter. I have no intentions of a romance, if that's what you're implying. She approached me to teach her ki. I agreed."

Okina let out a breath. "I just worry, that's all. She's my adoptive granddaughter and I love her dearly."

Hiko nodded. "She will be fine."

Everyone waved as the two began their journey to Hiko's mountain. Misao glanced at the bulky man by her side and sighed. Just what the hell had she gotten herself into?

……………………………….

A/N: And there's the beginning. I don't know what it is about this pair, but they're cute. I've only seen one story about Misao and Hiko by Chiruken called, "Tanabata." I suggest you read it. It's very good. Anyway, to continue or not? Let me know. Hugs & Kisses!


	2. So It Begins

Yay! People like my story! So, with ideas roaming in the old noodle, I will pound out chapter 2. Hope you like!

Disclaimer: Still don't own it. But, that bag of salt and vinegar potato chips on the counter is TOTALLY mine. However, I'll share if you review.

……………………

Progression

Chapter 2: So It Begins

……………………...

As Hiko and Misao made their way towards Hiko's mountain, the young ninja sighed as her new master flirted with just about every girl they saw. At least it was only quick winks or smirks, but the reactions of these 'Hiko-ites' as she had dubbed them, was really getting to her. All the giggles, coy smiles and batting eyelashes were downright annoying. Did these girls have no sense? Hiko was old enough to be their father! Then again, he didn't look anywhere near his 47 years.

Of course, Hiko had no problem with the attention. In fact he seemed to be thriving on it. Deciding if she had his attention the Hiko-ites would quit, Misao began speaking to him. "So, Shishou, what is involved in ki sensing?"

Hiko quirked an eyebrow at his new student. "There is nothing I can teach you here. Your lessons will start once we reach my cabin." After a few seconds, a thought came to Hiko and he spoke again. "Baka deshi, why did your family relent and let you live on my mountain with me to learn ki? Why didn't they train you themselves once they realized you had found a teacher?"

Misao sighed. "I wouldn't have allowed them to train me once they refused the first time. They would have made up some nonsense and then claimed I just wasn't able to do it and leave it at that. They wouldn't have honestly trained me."

The sword master frowned. "I see. So now I have to put up with you."

Misao glared at him. "You didn't have to agree to train me, Shishou! You could have easily refused."

Hiko gave a mumbled, "Baka deshi." And they traveled the rest of the way in silence.

…………………….

Hiko rolled his eyes in annoyance. He pinched the bridge of his nose, warding off the oncoming headache. The girl was trouble. Why didn't he just listen to his gut feeling and refuse to teach her?

The girl in question was glaring defiantly at her new teacher. She would not back down from this battle. Makimachi Misao did NOT do someone else's laundry. "Look, Shishou. I'm not washing your clothes! If you can't do your own laundry, that's not my fault."

Hiko frowned at her. "Do you not remember the rules? We just discussed them yesterday and you agreed. You clean and cook, I teach you. If you want the lessons, you're going to have to do the laundry. Only when this place is spotless will our training begin."

Misao clenched her teeth and fists. "You big oaf! I expected to have to maintain a clean house, but it doesn't look like you've cleaned this place in months! I didn't agree to come up here and pick up after your negligence!"

Hiko glared slightly at her insult. "What did you just call me?"

Misao narrowed a glare back. "I called you a big oaf!"

Hiko stepped closer so Misao was eye-level with a muscled stomach, close enough that she could feel his body heat. He looked down at her and growled. "Care to repeat that, baka deshi?"

Misao flushed. She had never been this close to a man before. Confidence seeping, she tried to keep her voice steady. "I s-said…I c-called…you a…b-big oaf."

Hiko bent slowly. Misao keeping her eyes straight ahead as the stomach in front of her sank, followed by a massive chest, huge shoulders, and finally Hiko's dark eyes were in front of her. She swallowed with difficulty, apprehension making her pulse pound in her ears. Hiko held in his amusement at her obvious fear of him. Allowing only his anger to show in his gaze he spoke again. "And what are you supposed to call me?"

Misao began to tremble slightly. "Sh-Shishou."

Hiko grasped her chin when her eyes started to lower to the ground. "You'd be wise to remember that, Misao."

Misao's wide eyes quickly shot to the ground when he released her chin. He'd never called her Misao before, which only added to her realization that she had gotten in serious trouble. She stood there for a tense moment, unsure of what to do. She really didn't know Hiko that well and therefore had no idea how to break the uncomfortable silence.

Hiko spoke first, taking the pressure off Misao. "Start cleaning. I'll be back in a few hours."

Misao was about to protest when she noticed the fishing pole he carried. "Are you going to catch dinner?" She winced at her own stupid question.

Hiko merely smirked and raised an eyebrow at her. "What else would I be doing with a fishing pole?"

Misao blushed, spun on her heel, and headed into the cabin.

……………………………….

She groaned as she looked at all the dirt he had allowed to pile up. "How can he live like this?" She located the cleaning supplies and sighed. "At least it's a small cabin."

She started with picking up, putting all of the scattered items in their places. She piled dirty dishes next to the sink, gathered the dirty laundry in a heap outside the door, put all the discarded and empty sake jugs into a cupboard and picked up the paints he used for his pottery. She made quick work of the few windows, dusted the shelves, tabletops and counters, and moved her attention to sweeping the floor. Once that was accomplished she washed and dried the dishes and then turned her irritated gaze to the laundry. With swift angry footsteps she gathered her supplies and started in on the gigantic pile.

………………………………………..

Just as the sun began to set, Misao was gathering the dry laundry as Hiko sauntered up the path, a string of fish slung over one shoulder. "Did you finish cleaning?"

Misao grit her teeth, remembering the hideous mess she had to clear away. "Hai, Shishou."

Hiko went into his cabin, eyebrow quirking at the spotless interior. He was impressed. He would never tell her she had done a good job. Students tended to get cocky with praise. "It will do. Now, cook us some dinner."

Misao let out a frustrated and strangled scream. "You know, you could say it nicely! Would it kill you to be pleasant?"

Hiko impassively stared at his sake cup. "I did say it nicely. I could have said 'cook _me_ some dinner' and made you clean all over again while I ate."

Misao's jaw dropped. Was he serious? "You wouldn't."

The sword master looked up at her. "Wouldn't I? Care to find out?"

The little ninja just headed for the kitchen. She had no desire to see how sadistic her new sensei could be tonight.

Hiko watched with interest as Misao's small hands expertly made a dinner of grilled fish, steamed vegetables and rice. A simple meal, but it was late and they were both tired from a long day. She placed the food on the low table and quickly prepared some tea. As Hiko made his way to the table, Misao's eyes lingered on the sake jug

clutched in his large hand. _I'm certainly not staying here if he's drunk all the time._

Misao made her move and grabbed his precious beverage, placing it on the floor next to her. She poured him a cup of tea and didn't dare look at him when she heard a low growl.

"Baka deshi?" His voice was deceptively quiet, betraying the rage he was feeling. "Why did you take my sake?"

Misao fidgeted slightly. Bad idea to take it? Of course, but she didn't regret it really. "You shouldn't drink so much. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from drinking your normal amounts while I'm here."

Hiko made a 'hmph' sound and leaned across the table menacingly. "There are repercussions from taking my sake." With that said, he merely leaned back and started eating his dinner.

Misao thought perhaps the battle was won. Maybe she had claimed victory, until his words registered in her mind. _'…repercussions…' _Misao shakily finished her dinner and cleaned the dishes.

Hiko, meanwhile, had brought out two futons and set one up in the cabin. The other, he unceremoniously dumped outside the cabin on the cold ground. Misao looked at him wide-eyed. "What are you doing, Shishou?" She had her suspicions, but she was trying to be optimistic.

"Remember when I said there would be repercussions?" Misao nodded slowly. "Well, tonight you can sleep outside."

"WHAT? It's cold out there!"

Hiko stuck his hand out the door. "So it is. Here. Have an extra blanket." He set a flimsy, worn out blanket on top of the normal set. He gently prodded Misao outside and closed the door on her. She heard a lock clicking and his deep chuckle. "Good night, baka deshi!"

Misao punched and kicked and banged on the door (which he had reinforced after she and Yahiko kicked it in years ago), all the while yelling about the injustice of the situation. Hiko's loud bellow halted her movements. "BAKA DESHI! DO YOU WANT TO SLEEP OUTSIDE EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK?"

Misao slouched on her futon, attempting to cocoon herself in the blankets.

………………………….

Hiko awoke the next morning, feeling smug about his new student's punishment. His ego deflated once he opened the door. Poor Misao was curled up on her futon, slightly shivering and teeth chattering from the cold mountain air. Hiko sighed as he lifted her up, noting how cold her skin was. _Damn, I didn't think it was that cold. Then again, she is smaller. Her body has less bulk to keep it warm. _He gently set her on his own warm futon and let her rest while he made breakfast.

Misao woke up to a wonderful aroma and stretched before she opened her eyes. She blinked a few times in confusion, wondering why she wasn't in her room at the Aoiya when her new situation dawned on her. She looked over at Hiko cooking and smiled when she realized she was in a warm futon. _He really is nicer than he lets on sometimes._ _Although nice would have been NOT putting me outside in the first place._ Deciding to forgive and forget last night she spoke. "Ohayo, Shishou."

Hiko glanced at her over his shoulder and gave her his first order of the day. "Set the table. This is almost ready."

Misao rolled her eyes as she made her way into the kitchen. "Well, you're chipper in the mornings aren't you?"

Hiko grumbled incoherently as he set the food on the table. Ignoring her question, he gave her the agenda for the day. "We'll begin training after breakfast and chores. Training will probably last until sunset."

Misao nodded and wolfed down her food eagerly. "This is really good, Shishou!"

Hiko smirked at her beaming smile. "Of course it is! I'm a genius."

…………………………..

Once everything was cleaned and put away, Misao followed Hiko out to a quiet spot in the woods surrounding his cabin. "Okay, baka deshi. Ki-sensing is no kind of spell or special move. What it is, is an awareness of what is around you. This heightened sense of awareness will let you know someone is approaching or that you're being watched. As you develop more and your ki-sensing abilities become second nature, you will begin to recognize other factors. For instance, you can begin to pick up signs that someone is nervous or frightened. You can feel when someone is lying to you, things of that nature."

He paused as Misao digested his words. "Now in Hiten Mitsurugi, ki-sensing is taught from almost the very beginning. With that sort of exposure, those of the Hiten Mitsurugi School learn how to anticipate an opponent's moves by watching how the body flexes. You will not achieve that level of skill, but you said all you wanted was to learn the basics."

Misao nodded, eager to begin. "I'm ready!"

…………………….

Hiko had to admit the girl was a fast learner. He had expected her to whine or complain due to the extreme patience it took to learn the basics of ki-sensing. Not only was she quiet and obedient about her training, but she was picking it up faster than Kenshin had. And Kenshin had been a natural at ki-sensing.

Misao was currently standing in a clearing, eyes closed, listening for any changes in the area around her. The large hermit grabbed a pebble and looked around, finding a few bushes behind Misao he tossed it. Immediately her eyes snapped open and she spun towards the bushes, kunai in hand to defend herself.

Hiko nodded in approval. "Okay, you seem to be picking it up quickly. Close your eyes again and tell me what you hear."

Misao obeyed and was quiet for a few seconds. "Water to the east of us." A few more seconds. "There's a flock of birds overhead…a squirrel just ran up a tree behind me…and you just stepped three paces left." She opened her eyes and smiled at a stunned Hiko.

_She shouldn't be that good already._ He calmed, realizing the ninja training would have instilled some skills that she probably wasn't even aware of. But knowing he had stepped to the left and how many paces was advanced. He hadn't made any noise when he did so. "How did you know I stepped aside?"

Misao tilted her head. "I honestly don't know. It was just a feeling I had."

Hiko hid his surprise. It was definitely something she shouldn't have been able to do. Needing to find out just how advanced she was, he decided to use a training game he had used with Kenshin. "Okay, let's try something new. I'm going to leave and you will have to find me, using only the skills you have learned."

Misao's teeth bit into her lower lip. "Am I ready for something like that? I don't know the mountain at all. What if I go in the wrong direction and get attacked by some wild animal?"

Hiko grinned a cocky grin at her. "Don't worry, baka deshi! I'm not going to lose sight of you, though you won't be able to see me."

Misao relaxed and nodded her assent. Hiko looked around for a minute, searching for a route to take. "Close your eyes for a count of ten."

Misao giggled. "It sounds like hide and seek."

"It is much like that, but you search with ki instead of your eyes. Rely on your eyes and you will never find me." Hiko took to the trees once Misao's eyes were closed.

He darted off a short distance and kept his focus on her as she opened her eyes and started after him.

…………………

They had been playing the game for some time, the distance Hiko kept between himself and Misao growing as she got better and better at finding him. It was nearing dusk and had been some time since Hiko had last seen the tiny ninja. He hopped down from his tree to go find her and end training for the day when a loud shriek pierced the air.

With a loud curse, Hiko dashed toward the sound. He came across a cluster of trees with Misao in the middle, surrounded by four thugs. _Four shouldn't be a problem for her to_ _take down._ Then he noticed the three already knocked out on the ground and smirked. The girl may be trouble, but she was able to take care of herself pretty well_. Okay, one with no weapon, one with a sword and one with a club. Too easy. _

Hiko snuck up on the one with a sword and knocked him in the back of the head. With one knocked out, the other two turned to see what was going on. Misao's eyes lit up with relief. "Shishou!"

"Problems, baka deshi?"

The weaponless thug cracked his knuckles. "Look here. This girl is gonna pay for knocking out our friends over there." He gestured to the unconscious three on the ground behind him.

Hiko cocked an eyebrow. "What were you doing that made her fight back?"

Misao answered. "The idiots tried to rob me! Like I have any money on me for them to take."

Hiko was so busy conversing with the thug and Misao that in a rare show of inattentiveness, the one with the club had snuck around behind him. Misao's eyes widened as she took notice. "Shishou, behind you!"

He turned and although he was still struck in the back, he managed to deflect most of the blow. In a show of speed Misao had only seen from Kenshin or Aoshi, Hiko had knocked out the other two bandits and sheathed his sword. "Come on, let's go."

She wordlessly followed and noticed the way Hiko tried to subtly rub his back every now and then. "Thank you, Shishou."

The sword master grunted in response. "Just don't get in any more trouble."

Misao's mouth fell open. "Well for your information, you said you wouldn't go far enough to lose sight of me. If you had stuck with that, I wouldn't have been attacked."

Hiko threw a glare over his shoulder and wordlessly continued walking. As his hand reached back to rub a sore spot again, Misao spoke. "Did he catch you in the back? I thought you deflected it."

"I managed to avoid most of it. It isn't the blow that hurts, he got me on the other side. But when I turned I must have knotted some of the muscles." He wasn't one to admit to an injury, but Misao's previous training would allow her to notice the signs of injury and his lie.

"After dinner I can work out the knot if you want me to."

Hiko wordlessly quirked an eye at a softly blushing Misao. Feeling the heat in her cheeks, Misao continued to ramble in her embarrassment. "I mean, I was trained in things like that. As a ninja, you gotta be prepared for all types of injury, so I learned how to work out different cramps and knots and the best way to go about it for different areas of the body."

Hiko turned to hide the affectionate smile that came to his face. The girl was just too amusing. Her nervous chatter reminded him of a squirrel. "You know baka deshi, I've been thinking of that nickname they gave you. Weasel wasn't it?"

Misao bristled and Hiko smirked at the reaction. "Yes, yes, I remember now. But, I don't think you resemble a weasel at all."

Misao brightened. "Really?"

Hiko nodded. "You're more like a squirrel." He watched with thinly veiled amusement as her face went through various shades of red and her cheeks puffed in annoyance.

She kept up the silent treatment until dinner was over and Hiko laid on his futon on his stomach. "Okay, baka deshi. I'm ready."

Misao mimicked the arrogant man by cocking an eyebrow. "Ready for what?"

"Well, you said you could work the knots out of my back right?"

Misao rolled her eyes. "You are mean to me, but I still need to do something for you? Where's the fairness in that?"

Hiko smirked. "Well, isn't Squirrel better than Weasel? At least some people consider squirrels cute. I don't know of anyone who thinks weasels are cute."

Misao frowned at him. "It's still a rodent." She sighed in defeat and walked over to Hiko. Looking down at his massive back she felt a bit of apprehension. "I don't think the normal method will work on you."

Hiko turned an inquiring gaze up to her and Misao continued. "Usually, I could just kneel next to the person and do it that way. To get enough pressure on your muscles, I think I'll need to straddle your back." She valiantly fought down her blush.

At Hiko's nod, she lowered herself so she was seated across his lower back and prodded around to find the knot. "Okay, here we go." She set to work kneading the muscle but it wouldn't let loose. She tried grinding the heel of her palm and that didn't work. She tried to put most of her body weight into her ministrations but it wasn't enough to get through the man's hard muscles. With a slight growl of frustration, Misao got up. "There's only one way left to try. Scoot closer to the wall."

Hiko looked at her strangely, but complied. Misao stood next to him and placed a hand on the wall. "Have you ever had your back walked on before?"

At the shake of his head, Misao explained. "It should only be done by someone who knows what they're doing and who is much lighter than the person being walked on. I need you to stay still so I can do this."

She kept a hand on the wall to steady herself and slowly applied more and more of her weight until she was standing on Hiko's back. With slow, even steps she moved over his back. As she reached knots, she would shift her weight back and forth between her feet, effectively loosening the kinks. Once she was done, she lowered herself to straddle his back once more and made gentle sweeping motions with her hands to relax the muscles. She stepped to the side and smiled brightly. "Better?"

Hiko nodded, a strange look on his face. "Thanks. Goodnight."

Misao tilted her head at the strange behavior, but shrugged and snuggled under her covers for the night.

Hiko looked over at Misao's sleeping figure, trying to understand what had just happened. No one had ever been that gentle with him before. During his training, his master had been a stern man. Even if he was injured during training, he was supposed to just suck it up and deal with it. When he went into town to take care of his 'manly urges', the women had always assumed he wanted it somewhat rough due to his size. And he had always thought he agreed with them, until now. It felt nice to have someone take care of him like that, to make sure he was comfortable with what was happening, to be careful not to hurt him. He took another look at Misao before slipping off to sleep.

……………………….

A/N: Aww, isn't Hiko cute? This one won't be one of my longer stories. I'm thinking maybe 5 or 6 chapters, so it's moving along quicker than usual. I worked on this chapter forever and I'm still not satisfied with it, but I can't quite put my finger on what's bugging me. Oh well. Hope you enjoyed that bit and please review! Hugs & Kisses!


End file.
